Nov 21, 2022

Greetings, Happy New Year! (Which is a corny church way of saying Happy First Sunday of Advent.) Today marks the first day of the new liturgical year and so we move to reading cycle A, the first of three. This past year the Gospel readings were dominated by Luke (cycle C) and this year it will be Mark.

The reason the liturgical year begins now is because the calendar roughly follows the life of Christ. It begins with the foretelling of His coming, works through His birth at Christmas, enters the stage of His teaching culminating in his Passion, Death and Resurrection and followed by the life of the Church after His Ascension until such time as we return to advent.

The purpose of advent is to get us ready for Christmas. Unfortunately, many people start celebrating Christmas now and by the time the Christmas season hits are tired of it and trees end up on the devil strip just as the Church begins her celebrations. For weeks already, I have seen trees up and Christmas lights blinking in peoples’ windows.

But advent is designed to help us celebrate longer and build anticipation. Here are some ideas to help celebrate advent and Christmas. Postpone putting up and decorating your tree and other decorations. Have a Christmas party in the actual Christmas season when everyone is getting bored because “Christmas is over.” Engage in advent activities such as following advent calendars, lighting advent wreathes, not putting the baby Jesus in the manger until Christmas, making a holy hour.

Many of you, I know, are carrying on the tradition of the advent wreath. Last year we couldn’t give candles away and this year every time we put out a new batch, they flew off the table. Cathy Sivec put out the last of them last weekend. Apologies if you were not able to purchase them from your parish.

IN OTHER NEWS:

ADVENT ORGAN CONCERT: Every Tuesday in advent at noon, during adoration, there will be a short recital on our organ. It is an opportunity to pray before our Lord enhanced by advent music being played by area organists.

MEET THE AUTHOR: Dawn Eden Goldstein will be giving a presentation on her book, Father Ed: The Story of Bill W.’s Spiritual Sponsor. “Bill W.” is one of the founders of AA and since this organization was largely founded within the boundaries of St. Sebastian Parish, the author thought it would be fitting to have a meet and greet at the parish. It is free and open to the public on Dec. 2 at 7:00pm in the church.

NEXT CONCERT: Baldwin Wallace Men’s Choir will be performing Friday, December 9, at 8pm. This is a ticketed event.

GIVING TUESDAY: Help support your parish on November 29 by giving at #WeGiveCatholic the funds for which will be used to replace school furniture for our youngest learners.

MORE NEWS: Because of Thanksgiving, this letter had to be written a week early. If there is any more timely news to get out to you, it will come out in the Angelus Letter.

God Bless,

Fr. Valencheck